Loch Ness Monster
The Loch Ness monster, also known by the nickname Nessie, is probably the creature that most often leaps to mind when ordinary people think about cryptozoology: the study of animals that may or may not exist. Nessie is virtually a symbol of cryptozoology. This creature has probably been the object of more sustained media attention than any other individual type of cryptid, with the possible exception of Sasquatch, and some less traditional cryptids such as the Grey Aliens. Description Witnesses tend to describe an animal with sleek, rubbery blackish-gray skin, about twenty feet long. Nessie usually has the serpentine body that is typical for sea serpents and lake monsters, furnished with humps along its length, and one or more sets of paddles (or sometimes, stumpy legs). Nessie's head is often described as roughly horse-shaped, it may have a straggly mane running down its neck, and some witnesses report small horns or a crest, especially those who see the Loch Ness monster from close up. Sometimes, witnesses report a smaller, rounded, turtle-like head. This head is the one that seems to appear in most of the famous Nessie photos. Sightings Most Nessie witnesses describe creatures similar to sea serpents and plesiosaurs, however, some describe creatures similiar to the extinct species of carnivorous whale, bassilosaurus. The first serious wave of Nessie sightings came in the 1930s and they have continued ever since. Origins Before the wave of sightings that started today's fad, there were older legends of water dragons and Kelpies in Loch Ness. However, these older legends were much more variable in how they described the appearance of Nessie, so most researchers do not rely on them much, simply noting that they exist as being a reason to suppose that the Loch Ness Monster is much more than a recent fad. Explanations If Nessie is an animal, it had to have a mother, and at one point there had to have been a viable breeding population of the species. However, some more untraditional theories suggest Nessie comes from some type of space-time anomaly, causing a plesiosaur, bassilosaurus, or some even say sauropod to be transported to the modern day. Even stranger theories suggest genetic experiments and mutations, though these are all considered very unlikely and of course presume the creature exists in the first place. The idea of horns may sound ridiculous, but it may have some credence to it if the Loch Ness monster is actually a zeuglodon, a primitive species of whale, because the zeuglodons were only a few steps removed from the mesonychids, ungulate predators, and ungulates often have horns. Most Nessie Theories suggest that it is a family of plesiosaurs. Another theory suggests that Nessie is a large leech. Hoax While there's more evidence to suggest Nessie is real than there is to suggest it is false, the famous Surgeon's Photograph is considered a hoax. Entertainment Nessie is one of the most well known cryptids thus the creature has been featured in many movies, TV shows, and even games. - In 2001, Dimension Films ''released a movie titled ''Beneath Loch Ness ''in which a scientific expedition team investigates a string of attacks that plague Scotland's infamous lake. -In 2004, ''Scooby Doo and the Loch Ness Monster was released which Scooby and the gang go to Scotland to attend a festival but end up solving the mystery of The Loch Ness Monster after the creature begins to attack the festival. -In 2008, Insight Films ''made a movie known as ''Beyond Loch Ness ''or ''Loch Ness Terror , ''about a cryptozoologist whom as a kid witnessed his father being eaten by the infamous Nessie at Loch Ness many years ago, and tracks the legendary beast to Lake Michigan where her and her offspring cause mayhem. - In the popular BBC series ''Primeval, ''Nessie is mentioned a few times about the possibility of it actually existing and even one of the characters makes a profile about the creature Gallery Loch-Ness-monster.jpg lochness_dino.jpg loch-ness-monster_1466828i.jpg|The Surgeon's Photo Z9650015-Loch_Ness_Monster-SPL.jpg Plesiosaur_4_large.jpg Plesiosaur_by_IRIRIV.jpg plesiosaur_image_National-Science-Foundation.jpg Rough_study_of_the_loch_ness_monster_by_olddochudsonandco-d5bz7ru.jpg|An Artist's interpretation of the creature in the 1975 Rhine underwater photo. © Old Doc Hudson and CO. scary-stories-nessie2.jpg Nessie.gif NESSIE.png Locheart.jpg Lago-Ness-Nesie-Apple-4.jpg nessiebadgephoto.jpg Nessie CP Costume.png|Nessie in Club Penguin Loch Ness Monster MiMP.jpg|In Monster in My Pocket water_horse__a_field_study_by_ja_kitsu_ryou.png contemplation_by_ja_kitsu_ryou.png loch_ness_by_notpongkong-d7l06un.jpg longnecked_sea_lion_by_wsnyder-d99yd7y.png the_loch_ness_monster_by_thedmg177-d791367.png|If this is not a living plesiosaur Loch_Ness_Monster.png|Cameo on ''Steven Universe nessiehatfishingbreak.jpg|Nessie Hat from Fishing Break male_longnecked_sea_lion.png|Male long necked seal female_longnecked_sea_lion.png|Female nessie2016.jpg|Nessie sighted in 2016. Note the seal-like head. Loch Nees Monster.jpg|Nessie's Portfolio in Primeval focus_plesiosaur.jpg Category:Cryptids Category:Lake Monster Category:Aquatic-based Cryptid Category:Cryptid Wiki Category:European cryptids Category:Dinosaurs and Pterosaurs Category:Reptile Category:Giant cryptid Category:Living fossil Category:Reptiles and Amphibians Category:Plesiosaurs Category:Marine Reptiles Category:Scottish Category:British cryptids Category:Featured Article